


like the way we were before

by trustingno1



Series: Season/Series 3 Alternate and Missing Scenes [9]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Gen, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-25
Updated: 2015-01-25
Packaged: 2018-03-09 00:02:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3228521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trustingno1/pseuds/trustingno1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John pulls the door to 221 closed behind them, and he's laughing, just a little.</p><p>"What?" Sherlock asks, glancing around.</p><p>"Nothing," John says, "Just - 'So you're not dead?'," he mimics the reporter. "'Clearly'."</p><p>(Immediately post-3x01 missing scene).</p>
            </blockquote>





	like the way we were before

John pulls the door to 221 closed behind them, and he's laughing, just a little.

"What?" Sherlock asks, glancing around.

"Nothing," John says, "Just - 'So you're not dead?'," he mimics the reporter. "'Clearly'." He shakes his head, and Sherlock looks like he doesn't _quite_ get the joke.

"The answer's no, by the way," Sherlock says, instead, hanging up the deer stalker, and seeing him in _profile_ again - something catches in John's throat.

"No?" John echoes, clearing his throat.

"Or yes," Sherlock amends, squinting a little. "Depending on how you were planning on phrasing it."

"Of course," John deadpans, and Sherlock looks at him, expectantly. John waves his hand between them, as if to say, _'I need a bit more to go on.'_

 _'As usual,'_ Sherlock's half-smile says, but it isn't unkind, and it's so infuriatingly, _maddeningly_ familiar -

"Since the train car," Sherlock says, then, "Did you know they're not called carriages?" he shakes his head, as if to dislodge the thought. "You've been wondering if - the last time we spoke," and John _knows_ he means - before. "Yes, I was -" and his mouth tries out the word gingerly, almost contemptuously, " _genuinely_ upset. No, it wasn't all an act. I mean, some of it was, obviously, by _necessity_ , but-" and John's pretty sure he knows what Sherlock's getting at, but it's _his_ bloody turn to embarrass himself.

"Why?" he asks, flatly. " _You_ knew it wasn't real." 

Sherlock's mouth flattens as he searches for the words. "I didn't know how long I was saying goodbye for," and it's a strange and _achingly_ familiar thrill, being pinned by that level, unblinking gaze. "I had miscalculated-"

"-you made a mistake-" John needles, under his breath, without heat.

"I had _miscalculated_ ," Sherlock repeats, "the effect that," he swallows, "an enforced separation would have on me. It was only when we spoke that-" he breaks off, uncharacteristically inarticulate, and John pauses.

"You realised you were going to miss me," he parses, slowly, and Sherlock frowns.

"No," he protests, immediately. "I - well, yes," he amends, and it's probably the most sentimental John'll ever see him.

"Well, that makes up for the last two years of _my life_ ," John says, deadpan again.

Sherlock's eyes light up. "Does it? Excellent."

"Wha - of course not," John sputters, but Sherlock's smiling, very slightly. "You are _unbelievable_ ," he breathes, and Christ, he's going to laugh, he is.

(He's missed this, _so much_ ).

"Thank you."

"Wasn't a compliment."

"Mmnn, yes it was."

"Not in the slightest."

Sherlock grins at him, then. "Dinner?" he asks.

"Love to," John replies, with honesty that surprises even him. "But we've got half a dozen people waiting in the living room," and he realises what he's said almost immediately - _Sherlock's_ living room, but old habits die hard, apparently - and Sherlock doesn't bother correcting him.

"Yes, why _are_ they here?" Sherlock asks, absently, and John's jaw drops in indignation before he catches himself. "Some other time, then?" Sherlock asks, a little warily, as they climb the stairs to 221B.

"Oh, _God_ , yes," John jokes over his shoulder, familiar and _warm_ , and something in his chest loosens, just slightly.


End file.
